Boll weevil eradicator



April 22, 1947- c. v. HENLEY" BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATOR Filed Jan. 24, 19452 vSheets-Sheet l Gttornegs April 22 1947- c. v. HENLl-:Y

BOLL wEEvIL ERADICATOR 2 Shees-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1945 ATTORN EYSPatented Apr. 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for eradicating boll weevils.

An object of the invention is the provision of a machine having asuction apparatus thereon, with suction intakes adapted to be drawnalong the ground and against the bushes in a pair of rows for collectingthe boll weevils from the ground and from the Vbushes and dropping thesame into a storage bin.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine forremoving boll weevils from plants and from the ground, said machinehaving a plurality of suction intakes which are mounted for adjustmenton the machine and which are adapted to be drawn along the sides of thebushes for evacuating boll weevils, said machine having a suction deviceconnected with the suction intakes, with means on the machine forcollecting the boll Weevils before said weevils are drawn into thesuction apparatus.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine foreradicating boll weevils from plants in which a wheeled frame carries aplurality of suction intakes, with the suction intakes connected to amanifold by flexible tubes, said manifold being in communication with astorage tank receiving the boll weevils and a suction device, certain ofthe suction intakes being located at the sides of the frame andvertically disposed so that they may be moved into close associationwith rows of bushes, said intakes being adjustably mounted for manualoperation so that the position of the intakes may be varied for a morecomplete contact with the bushes, others of the intakes being positionedto move above the ground for recovering boll weevils that are on thesurface of the ground adjacent the rows.

This invention will be best understood .from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawings-forming a. part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not conned to the disclosure, beingsusceptible of such changes and modifications as dene the materialdeparture from the salient features of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation of the machine. v

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary enlarged front view in elevation of a suctionintake which is movable over the ground.

Fig .5 is a side view of the suction intake illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of the intake shown in Figs. 4and 5.

Referring more particularlyfto the drawings I0 designates a U-shapedbeam having axles I I at its ends upon which arev mounted wheels -I2.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the axles are at a lower horizontallevel than the beam I0 per se. The wheels I2 are of large diameter andsupport the machine above the ground.

A triangularly shaped frame generally desighated by the numeral I'5consists of a front bar I6 and a pair of inclined side bars II whichterminate at a point at the rear of the machine.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the rear portions I8 of the bars Ilare located at a lower horizontal plane than the bars Il per se.Depending members I9 connect the portions I8 with the bars Il.

The rear portion of the frame is supported by a small broad wheel 20.This wheel is carried by a fork 2I having bearings 2 for supporting therear end of the frame I5. The shank 23'of the fork 2I is pivotallymounted in a passage at the rear end of said frame. the frame as shownat 24 is secured to the beam III, said frame being welded or secured inany approved manner to the beam.

The rear horizontal portions I8 of the frame I5 provides a support for asuction apparatus 25 upon whichis mounted ak container 26 for fuel whichis supplied toTan internal combustion engine 21. A suction ian 28 isdriven by a shaft 29 and this shaft is rotated by a pulley 30, a belt 3Iand a pulley 32, the belt lbeing trained upon the pulleys 30 and 32. Thepulley 32 is secured to a shaft 33 which is driven by the engine 21. Theengine operates the fan 28 only. A tongue'35 -is connected in anyyapproved manner to the frame` I5 at the rear of the beam lll and theforward end 36 of this tongue is provided with perforations-B'I so thatthe same may be connected to a tractor and drawn along the rows ofplants. i

A manifold 40 is located centrally of the machine and below the beamIIl. A storage tank The front end of 4| is in open communication withthe manifold 40 adjacent the rear end thereof so that when air is drawnthrough the manifold which has been supplied with boll weevils throughthe operation of the suction fan 28 the boll weevils will fall into thebin 4|.

A suction intake 45 in the form of a curved plate is located at eachside of the machine and approximately below the ends of the bar |-6 ofthe frame l5. A flexible pipe 4S has one end connected to the manifold40 while the other end is connected to the periphery of an opening 41formed in each plate 65 adjacent the forward end of each plate. A secondflexible tube 48 is likewise in communication with the manifold 40 andalso with a passage 49 in each plate 45 so that a pair of flexible tubesextends from the manifold 40 to perforations in each plate 45.

Two U-shaped members 50 extend downwardly from the bar l5 of the framei5 and a link 5l is suspended from each U-shaped member. The lower endoi each link receives an eye 52 secured to the back of each plate 45.

A link 55 at each end of the bar i6 connects an eye 56 secured to theupper end of each plate 45 to a U-shaped member 51 projecting downwardlyfrom an end of the bar I6. In other words the links 5l and 55 flexiblysupport the plates 45 at the front end of the machine A bell crank leverSi] is pivotally mounted at El on the bar I6 at each side of the centerof the bar. A link 62 connects one arm of the bell crank 60 with theplate 45 at one side of the machine. An operating rod B3 has one endpivotally connected with the other arm of the bell crank 6U while theother end of the rod is provided with a manipulating handle 5&1. Thereis a rod provided at each side of the center of the machine and each rodpasses through a guide B5. These handles 64 are located close .to a seat65 for the operator of the machine. It will be noted from Fig. 3 thatthe seat is carried by a bracket 61 which is bolted or riveted to thetop of the manifold di). The swingably or flexibly supported intakes 55may be variously adjusted since reciprocation of the rod 63 toward therear will operate the bell crank 6B so that the outer ends of theintakes 45 will be moved inwardly toward the center of the machine whilethe inner ends of said intakes will be moved outwardly of the wheels l2.The opposite movement of the rod S3 will reverse the position of theintakes just described- In other words, these intakes may be adjusted sothey will move in closer contact with the rows of bushes when themachine is drawn along a definite path.

A iiexible tube or hose 10 is placed in communication with the manifold40 at each side thereof, and these tubes extend outwardly and downwardlytoward the ground where they are connected to a hollow nipple 1| formedat the upper end of a cup-shaped intake 12. An axle 13 extends rigidlyfrom one end of each intake 12 and a wheel 14 is mounted on the axle forsupporting the intake at a predetermined distancev above the ground.

An eye 15 is secured to each cup-shaped intake 12 and a link 15 isconnected with each eye and extends forwardly where the link isconnected to the lower end of the associated intake 45.

Before drawing the machine betweenjrows of said bushes the intakes 45are properly adjusted to meet the conditions and the motor 21 is startedfor operating the fan 28 to create the suction in the manifold 40 forthe various flexible tubes.

As the machine is drawn along the boll weevils will be drawn through theopenings in the intakes 45 and through the tubes, thence into themanifold 40, after which the boll weevils will be dropped in the storagebin or container 4 l. Some of the boll weevils will be dropped on theground as the suction intakes 45 are moved against the bushes but sincethe intakes 12 follow the intakes 45 the boll weevils will likewise bepicked up oif the ground by the intakes 12 and carried to the bin orcontainer 4I.

I claim:

1. A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising a wheeledcarriage, means on the carriage for producing suction, plates mounted onthe carriage extending horizontally at diverging angles and providedwith spaced openings, and tubes connected between the openings andsuction means, said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows ofplants, the angular displacement of the plates engaging separated rowsof plants being `such that the weevils on the plants will be `drawnthrough the openings and tubes.

2.- A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising a wheeledcarriage, means on the carriage for producing suction, horizontallyextending curved plates mounted on the carriage and provided with spacedopenings, and tubes connected between the openings and the suctionmeans, said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows of plants sothat the weevils on the plants will be drawn through the openings andtubes, and means for moving the plates relatively outwardly in closeassociation with the plants.

3. A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising e. wheeledcarriage, means on the carriage for producing suction, horizontallyextending plates swingably mounted on the carriage and provided withspaced openings, and tubes connected between the openings and suctionmeans, said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows of plants sothat the weevils on the plants will be drawn through the openings andtubes, and means for shifting the plates outwardly laterally relativelyto each other into close association with adjacent rows of plants.

4. A machine for eradicating boll weevils comprising a wheeled carriage,means on the carriage for producing suction, horizontally extendingcurved plates swingably mounted on the carriage and provided with spacedopenings, and tubes connected between the openings and suction means,said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows of plants so thatthe weevils on the plants will be drawn through the openings and tubes,and means for retaining the curved plates in position at an angle to theplant rows and for moving them in close associatedwith the contiguoussides of the plant rows so that when the carriage is drawn between rowsof plants the weevils will be sucked through the openings and tubes awayfrom the plants.

5. A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising a wheeledcarriage, a suction means'on the carriage, curved plates swingablymounted at their upper ends on the carriage and provided with spacedopenings, flexible pipes connecting the openings with the suction means,a container connected with the pipes for collecting weevils drawnthrough the pipes by the suction means, suction intakes adapted .totravel along the ground at the rear of the curved plates, meanssupporting the intakes above the ground, flexible pipes connecting theintakeswiththe suction means, means flexibly connecting the intakes withthe plates, and means moving the plates toward plants containing Weevilsand retaining said plates in position when the carriage is drawn betweenrows of said plants.

6. A machine for eradicating boll weevils comprising a wheeled carriage,a suction means on the carriage, horizontally extending plates disposedat an angle to each other and swingably mounted at their upper ends onthe carriage and provided with spaced openings located above the groundlevel, pipes connecting the openings with the suction means, groundsuction intakes at the rear of and below the bottom edges of the plates,exible pipes connecting the intakes with the ground suction means, andmeans moving the plates laterally toward the plant rows containingweevils and retaining said plates in position when the carriage is drawnbetween rows of said plants.

CHARLES V. HENLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 779,945 Lehmann Jan. 10, 19051,146,687 Britton et al July 13, 1915 15 1,068,941 Shaw July 29, 19132,201,463 Williams et al May 21, 1940

